High End Makeup Starter Kit
After revealing my Drugstore Makeup Starter Kit to you earlier in the week, you guys found it helpful, I enjoyed writing it and it's a fun way for me to rummage through my stash so I thought today I would bring you drugstore kits other half, the high end kit. Although this isn't such a budget friendly way of starting up kit as these aren't in any way bargains or a cheap way of starting up a makeup kit, but these are all things I've collected over time so I thought I would show you the Charlotte Tilbury of Maybelline, the MAC or Real Techniques and the Giorgrio Armarni of Bourjois. Whether you're just starting out with makeup and are building up a collection or you're adding bits to an existing collection, these luxurious products should all have a place in your makeup bag. Hide the cash girls.
For brushes, it has to be MAC. I recommend having some kind of foundation brush, a couple of eye brushes and a concealer / mini buffing brush, with all of these in your stash, your face is sorted in the brush department. One of my favourite brushes from MAC is the 187 Duo Fibre Face Brush - the fluffy bristles make light foundation application a total dream and the easiest thing you will ever do whilst the lightly packed bristles work as the perfect bronzer applicator as they pick up the just the right amount of product and give you bronzed cheeks without making you look orange. The 235 All Over Eye Brush is my go to eye shadow brush whether it's for packing on the colour or blending it out, this does the job.
I really struggled picking one high end foundation for this as there are so many that I love but when it came down to the test, it had to be Giorgio Armarni Luminous Silk Foundation. I use this in the shade 4 which is the perfect shade for my skin. The reason this had to be the foundation of choice is because it can be worn in a number of ways, you can really sheer it out and wear it with a light coverage by using a splodge and really blending it out or you can go for full coverage and really build it up. The choice is yours with this one. I usually put about 3 dots of this on my face and blend it in with my Beauty Blender for a fresh, lightweight finish. This is the best way to really blend out all your foundation to achieve the most natural looking, yet flawless finish. For the foundation phobe or the days when you don't want to wear a foundation then Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser is what you need for something that evens out your skin, adds a bit of coverage where you need and leaves your skin looking luminous.
My all time favourite contour product at the moment is the Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Glow Duo, I love how creamy this is to apply, how easy it is to build up and the way it melts into your skin and blends beautifully. I love the fact that this comes with a contour and a highlight shade in one compact little palette, making it ideal for quick application in the morning or even application on the go. The contour shade doubles up as a soft contour and a warm bronzer for all over your cheeks making it incredibly versatile and an essential makeup bag product.
I think for blush, you cannot beat NARS, they have the most amazing range of colours for all skin types, shimmery finishes, matte finishes and the formula's are just so buttery and creamy, holding an immense amount of pigmentation. Coming all packaged up in a sleek black case with a compact mirror inside, you won't find a more attractive package out there. One of my favourite shades is Orgasm as it holds gold specks inside making it the ultimate glow giving blush but if I'm after something more subtle and fresh then Deep Throat is the one.
Moving onto eyes, when it comes to an eye shadow primer, you cannot beat NARS Eye Primer, this is one of those purchases where nothing budget really beats it, you've gotta splash out for a decent eye shadow primer and with this one, which ever eye shadow you slap on top, it will not budge all day. My eye lids tend to eat up anything that goes on them so this keeps everything locked in place. Picking out one eye shadow was far tooooo hard so I split it into creams and powders. As I'm a total makeup stick convert, my Laura Mercer Caviar Sticks had to make their way into this post with their buttery formulas that glide onto the lid and make your eyes dazzle with a soft, creaseless finish. When it came to picking my powder shadows, there was no question about it, yes I love my Bobbi Brown palette but when I thought about which one I actually reach for the most, it all came down to my NARS Dual Intensity Eye Palette. If I'm stuck on what eye look to go for then I open this palette up and have the dreamiest selection. Himalia is probably my favourite in the palette as I'm a total bronze eye girl but for something a bit more smokey and special, then Lysithea, a shark grey is unbeatable.
I was never really an eye liner girl until I found the Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl Eye Liners. These are the most buttery and creamy and soft and beautiful liners ever to be seen. With a colour for all eyes, these pigmented silky smooth liners glide onto the lids like butter as they melt into the skin and set to a finish that wont budge all day. For effortless eyes I apply one line and smudge it out with a brush or my fingers but if I'm going for something more rock n roll then I'll build it up to a rich waxy finish that stays put for 14 hours.
When it came to picking a lip favourite, it actually was pretty impossible to choose just one so I went for a selection. If you have absolutely no idea what shade or finish you want then you need to go to MAC. MAC Lipsticks are hands down the best in terms of having every single shade imaginable and a finish from super duper matte to a sheeny gloss. If I'm having a MAC nude day then Velvet Teddy will be on my lips but in the A/W, Rebel, a deep plum is perfect. For the ultimate red lipstick then you need to get yours hands on Lipstick Queen Saint Red, with a pigmentation that no over brand beats, these are hydrating and moisturising and long lasting and rich. This deep red creates a stain on your lips that will last you all day/night without slipping off but it doesn't have the intense matte finish that can sometimes dry out your lips. A liner everyone needs in their makeup bag is Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk - the perfect my lips but better shade and the ideal companion for any pinky/nude lip. With a creamy formula, these can be worn alone as a liner or all over the lip and you don't have to worry about your lips drying out. CT has got it sorted in the liner department, eyes and lips. There are so many lipsticks that are fab in the matte lip department but really, you can't beat the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils. These have my heart when it comes to a matte lip and my favourite of their shades is Bahama, similar to MAC Velvet Teddy in colour but a whole new story in formula. Matte, creamy, buttery, rich and hydrating these lip pencils are the way to ma heart.
What would be in your high end starter kit?